St James' Church, Birkdale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James' Church |
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St James' Church, from the northeast
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| OS grid reference | SD 3269 1625 |
| Location | Lulworth Road, Birkdale, Southport, Sefton, Merseyside |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St James, Birkdale |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 29 July 1999 |
| Architect(s) | A. Rimmer, J. F. Doyle |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1856 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St James, Birkdale |
| Deanery | North Meols |
| Archdeaconry | Warrington |
| Diocese | Liverpool |
| Province | York |
St James' Church is a beautiful old church located in Birkdale, Southport, England. It's an active Anglican parish church, which means it's a local church for the community that is part of the Church of England. This church was built a long time ago, between 1856 and 1857, and has been made bigger over the years.
Did you know that a famous person, Revd Marcus Morris, who started the well-known Eagle comic, used to be the vicar here? The church is also a special building because it's listed as Grade II on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Contents
History of St James' Church
St James' Church was first built in 1856 and 1857. It was part of a plan to develop Birkdale, which is an area south of Southport. The church was designed by an architect named A. Rimmer. Later, another architect, J. F. Doyle, helped make the church larger.
From 1945 to 1950, Revd Marcus Morris was the vicar at St James'. He is famous for creating the Eagle comic, which first came out in 1950. The church was updated a lot between 2002 and 2003. More recently, in 2014, work began to fix the church's spire, which is the tall, pointed part of the tower.
Exploring the Church's Architecture
What Does the Outside Look Like?
St James' Church is built from red sandstone that looks like rough, natural rock. Its roofs are made of slate. The church's style is similar to buildings from around the year 1300. It has a tall steeple at the west end, which includes a tower and a pointed roof called a broach spire.
The tower has strong supports called buttresses and windows with two lights (sections). The steeple also has two rows of small windows called lucarnes. The main parts of the church, like the nave and transepts, have windows with three lights. The large window at the east end has five lights, making it very grand.
What's Inside the Church?
Inside, St James' Church feels like one big open space. There isn't a wall or clear separation between the nave (where people sit) and the chancel (where the altar is). You'll see shiny granite pillars between the different sections of the church.
Some of the windows have beautiful stained glass. In the south transept and on the south side of the nave, there are stained glass windows from around 1910, made by Shrigley and Hunt. On the north side, there's a window from 1965 by Harcourt M. Doyle. This window shows famous women, including Gladys Aylward, who was a missionary. The church also has a large pipe organ with three keyboards, which was first built in 1894 and has been updated twice since then.
Why is St James' Church a Listed Building?
St James' Church was officially named a Grade II listed building on July 29, 1999. In England, buildings are given a "grade" to show how important they are historically or architecturally. Grade II is the most common grade. It means the building is "nationally important and of special interest." This helps protect the church so it can be enjoyed for many years to come.
St James' Church Today
Today, St James' Church is a busy and active Anglican church. It's part of the diocese of Liverpool. The church holds services on Sundays and during the week. They also have prayer meetings and different interest groups for adults.
For younger people, St James' Church runs children's groups, including Scouts and Guides. It's a place where the community can come together for worship, learning, and fun activities.
See also
- Listed buildings in Birkdale
